Brandon and Lauren Kerian of Waukon announce the birth of their daughter, Ellie Jo Kerian, born June 1, 2021 at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. She weighed 8 lbs. 5 ozs. and measured 21 inches in length at the time of her birth. She joins a sister, Leah (18 months).
Grandparents are Jim and Deb Obermann and Kevin and Kelly Kerian, all of Cresco.
Jesus commanded his followers: ‘Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.’
Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Lansing is part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church (ELCA). Formed in 1988 with the merger of three smaller Lutheran organizations, the ELCA is based in Chicago and encompasses nearly 10,000 congregations and more than 3.8 million members across the country. Since 1991, the ELCA has passed repeated resolutions to welcome, include, and advocate for the equity of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and asexual/aromantic (LGBTQIA+) Lutherans in all aspects of the life of their Church, congregations, and community.
Iowans have always valued helping and supporting our neighbors. We step up when a farmer is in the hospital and needs crops planted or harvested, or when our neighbor is out of town and needs someone to care for their pets or lawn, or when our community is planting trees to improve the park and curbsides.
Members of the Democratic Party support and vote for this value. During the pandemic our national Democratic legislators passed the American Rescue Package putting $1400 in everyday American accounts, making sure there is food available for those struggling to provide for their families, reducing child poverty and financially supporting small businesses.
Our two Republican senators, Grassley and Ernst, and our Republican legislator, Hinson, voted no on this bill, failing to support this life-saving relief for everyday Iowans.
In response to letter-writer Lowell L. Engle’s criticism of the Paris climate agreement, I want to draw attention to a remarkable document on climate change and national security.
“A Climate Security Plan for America: A Presidential Plan for Combating the Security Risks of Climate Change” is endorsed by more than 20 admirals and generals, including Rear Admiral David Titley, former oceanographer and navigator of the Navy, and General Gordon Sullivan, former chief of staff of the Army. This 2019 report states:
Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
May 15-August 1: Primary Nesting Season
June 15: COC Election Ballots Mailed to Producers in LAA 3
July 15: Crop Certification
Most farmers in Iowa are seeing a significant increase in what they pay for land rents this year, according to a recent survey conducted by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.
According to the “Cash Rental Rates for Iowa 2021 Survey,” which is conducted annually and available in the May Ag Decision Maker, rates have increased an average of 4.5%, an increase of about $10 per acre, for a total per-acre rent of $232.
Land considered to be “high quality” saw an average of a 3.9% increase, up from $257 per acre in 2020 to $267 in 2021. “Medium quality” land saw a 4.5 percent increase, from $223 per acre in 2020 to $233 in 2021, and “low quality” land is up 4.8%, from $188 per acre in 2020 to $197 in 2021.
The Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF) has opened online registration at https://www.iowafarmbureau.com/News/Carbon-Credit-Markets-What-Farmers-N... for its upcoming virtual roundtable diving into key considerations for farmers seeking to adopt climate-friendly carbon sequestration and other practices with the hope of increasing their on-farm income.
IFBF’s “Carbon Credit Markets: What Farmers Need to Know” virtual roundtable will help answer questions and provide valuable insight as farmers seek to reduce their carbon footprint and navigate the ever-changing agriculture environment as private-sector companies present new opportunities and federal programs are developed with that focus.
The Iowa and Wisconsin Departments of Transportation (DOT) are holding a public hearing and requesting public input for a proposed replacement of the Iowa 9/Wisconsin 82 (Black Hawk) bridge in Lansing over the Mississippi River.
In order to accommodate the new bridge being planned, approximately 5.9 acres of easement and fee title is needed from the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge, which is owned and managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. The Iowa Division of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) intends to make a de minimis impact finding in accordance with 23 CFR 774 as the project is not expected to adversely affect the activities, features and attributes of the refuge. The Iowa DOT would like to gather public feedback on the environmental documentation, preferred alternative and potential impacts related to the planned improvements.
Retired Allamakee Community School District music instructor Frank Knoll took part in the “Taps Across America” nationwide remembrance event Memorial Day, Monday, May 31 by playing Taps at the Allamakee County Freedom Rock in the Waukon City Park at the designated time of 3 p.m. This National Moment of Remembrance is an annual event that asks Americans, wherever they are at 3 p.m. local time on Memorial Day, to pause for a duration of one minute to remember those who have died in military service to the United States. This project calls on musicians across the country to sound Taps at 3 p.m. from an appropriate location.
Festival events include prayer service at St. Patrick’s Church in Waukon with guest speaker Daniel Baldwin
by Julie Berg-Raymond
Sacred Noise Society, Inc., founded by Katie O’Regan of Waukon, has announced plans for the Spring Grove-Caledonia Film Festival scheduled for July 23-25, including an event in the Waukon area.
Featuring two plays, 42 movies, a parade and an award ceremony, the festival welcomes this year’s special guest of honor Daniel Baldwin, last year’s guest of honor Ed Asner and (via Zoom) Alec Baldwin – along with several other filmmakers who will be participating in live talk-backs after their films’ screenings.
